


The very earth I walk on, the very air I breathe

by Rudolphsd



Category: Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Noragami Fusion, Emotional Abuse, F/M, Hate Crimes, Noragami AU, Physical Abuse, accidentally dark oops, doesn't strictly follow noragami rules, epona and malon are the same, i tried to make this happy, listen, navi and ciela are the same, sassy fi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-02-08 04:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12856944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rudolphsd/pseuds/Rudolphsd
Summary: Noragami AULink, the god of courage, has traveled Hyrule for generations, destroying Phantoms and helping people alongside his Regalia and Zelda, the goddess of wisdom. However, change is in the air. Phantoms are growing stronger, and a force that Link and Zelda gave everything to defeat eons ago is threatening Hyrule once again.Re-uploaded for reasons, updates happen





	1. Song of Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer

_There is a legend passed down through countless generations._

_Long ago, Hyrule was naught but a land of chaos. The humans living there were cruel and overcome with vicious phantoms. The humans collectively wished for order and peace. Out of the wish, four gods descended onto Hyrule. Farore, the earth goddess, gave the land richness and life. Nayru, the water goddess, poured life into the soil in the form of rivers and oceans. Din, the goddess of fire, gave light and spirit to all living things. The wind god provided winds of change and fortune so the humans could connect with others._

_The gods provided the humans with light and guidance, and there was an era of peace between gods and mortals alike. However, the gods soon grew in number and began to bicker amongst themselves on who was the strongest. As a compromise, Farore, Nayru, and Din created a ruler among them all, the golden goddess Hylia._

_Hylia ruled over gods and humans alike with kindness and wisdom. Her light reached the far corners of the world. All however, were not content. The wind god, jealous of Hylia’s powers of creation, began to speak with phantoms in the Twilight world. Possessed by phantoms and rage alike, the god destroyed the palace and sieged the throne room. Hylia, however, had fled with her human attendants to the earth below._

_One day, she had a vision of a brave god, clothed in the green of fields, destroying the phantoms that had corrupted both humans and gods alike. She crafted a blade, a bane of all evil, for the hero of her vision to wield, all the while fleeing the dark forces that had claimed her home._

_As if from nowhere, the hero of her vision came and claimed the blade of evil, using it to drive back the forces of evil. Finally, he confronted the wind god himself, and thus began a terrible battle._

_What became of that battle? None remain who know. Some say the hero triumphed over the corrupted wind god, and peace settled once again over the land of the gods. Others say the hero was defeated, and the wind god’s phantoms still haunt humans today._

_But yet others say that the courageous hero still fights to this day, and will fight for eternity to protect the land of Hyrule._

The young girl looked up from her book.

“That’s it?” she cried. “That’s a horrible ending!”

“Aryll,” a woman called from far away. “Dinner.”

“Coming, Anju.”

…

Raindrops dripped through the canopy, lazily rolling down leaves and splatting onto Link’s face. Wide blue eyes blinked rapidly as he jerked upright, green cap still perched on his head.

“It’s raining!” The young man grinned and reached for a small blue ocarina. “Zelda, it’s raining!”

“Really?” A golden-haired young woman opened her eyes. She stood up from the pile of leaves she had been sleeping on.

Link began to play a song on the flute. It was bright and happy, matching the ever-increasing tempo of the raindrops that fell on the people sleeping beneath the trees. He tossed the instrument to another girl sleeping next to him. She continued the tune perfectly as Link grabbed Zelda’s hand.

“Dance with me, Zelda,” he said. “It’s been forever since we’ve danced.”

Zelda stood up and brushed off her dress with her free hand. “It’s raining. Aren’t you afraid we might slip?”

“It’s been forever since Hyrule’s had a summer rain. I can’t pass up this opportunity to celebrate.”

Zelda smiled. “Alright. Keep it up, Fi.”

Fi tried her best to nod her head while continuing to play the ocarina. Her face had a serene blankness to it, as if it had been carved from stone and polished by a rushing river.

Another girl rose from the side of a sleeping horse, adjusting the intricate black crown resting on her head. The horse rose with her and shook out her mane.

“What are those two doing at this time in the morning?” the crowned girl grumbled. She was small in stature, but her fiery hair and eyes glowed with frustration.

“Midna, the sun’s been up for hours.” The speaker hopped down from the tree he had been sleeping in and brushed the leaves off of his pale skin and long golden braid.

Midna’s glare stabbed into him.

A woman a few years older than Zelda joined them. She had a golden braid like the young man beside her, but her skin was a coppery color. “Some of us have been up since sunrise,” she said.

“Fine, fine,” Midna grumbled.

Behind them, a small child stretched and yawned. “Good morning Sheik, Impa. Good morning to you, too, Midna. Is it really raining?”

“You can’t feel it for yourself? C’mere, Navi.” Sheik picked up the child and let her stretch her hands up to the forest canopy above. As if to answer her question, a drop soon rolled off a leaf and splashed on her nose.

Sheik put Navi down and let his gaze drift towards the two youths, still dancing, heedless of the world around them. Their boots lightly treaded on a canopy of short grass and underbrush. Link’s hat and tunic seemed to almost blend in with the green of the bright forest, while Zelda’s golden braid seemed to defy the darkness of the rain clouds above them. They danced on, relishing the warm summer rain on their faces and clothes.

_“Wake up Link!”_

_Link blinked his eyes open and sat up from his simple cot. He tried to look around his small hut, but a child’s face with bright green hair filled his vision._

_“Give me another hour of sleep, Saria. It’s still dark outside…”_

_Saria groaned. “Come on, Link! You promised you would play hide-and-seek with me. I’ll let you play my ocarina.” She dangled the small blue flute in front of his nose._

_Link smiled._

Midna sighed. “When are those two idiots going to get together? Nothing ever changes. Time passes, we fight Phantoms, and those remain oblivious.”

Sheik looked up. A sudden wind tousled his hair. He looked up, as if to listen for a warning. “No, something is changing. I can feel it.”


	2. Ballad of the Goddess

_ “Master, I detect a high probability of human activity in this direction. I can sense the aura of a human nearby.” _

Link looked down at his horse, gently nudging her brown fur with his leg. “Hold up for a second, Epona. Revert, Fi.”

The sword on Link’s back glowed and shifted until its formed changed into Fi, who dismounted and stretched her legs. Link pulled out a map and looked around. He could sense the ocean nearby. In addition, the trees were thinning out, slowly turning into what looked like a garden attached to a large house. 

Midna sighed. She removed her arms from around Link’s waist to poke him on the shoulder. “Go around it. Zelda and her Regalia are probably at the Temple of Time already.”

The chestnut horse beneath them sighed and twitched.

“Listen to Epona. The grass is really soft here. The humans probably won’t notice us anyway,” Link said.

“Sure, listen to the horse,” Midna grumbled. But she was smiling as she patted Epona’s side. “Thanks for letting me get some fresh air. Link’s back gets sweaty in the summer.”

“H-hey!”

“Who are you, mister?”

A little girl with blonde pigtails appeared in front of the horse. Epona flinched and backed up. 

“W-what? You can see us?” Link dismounted, blinking his eyes. 

“Of course I can. I don't usually see two people fit on the back of one horse, and almost no one comes around here.”

“What's your name?” Link asked.

“My name is Aryll.”

 

_ Link yawned as he trotted through the woods. He looked back, but Saria was trailing far behind him. He looped around to meet her.  _

_ “What's wrong? You usually run ahead.” _

_ Saria smiled, but Link could tell it was forced. “I'm just a little tired, that's all.” _

_ “You've been like this for months.” _

_ Saria’s smile dropped. She looked blankly ahead. “Have you ever felt empty inside, like you should be feeling happy, but there's a black cloth covering your heart, preventing it?” _

_ Link frowned. “No, I can't say I have.” His face brightened. “But I know what'll cheer you up. Let's play hide-and seek! You can hide first.” _

_ Saria smiled. “Sure. You won't catch me! Count to 30 seconds, and no peeking!” _

_ Link covered his eyes and started counting. “Thirty, twenty nine…” _

 

Midna dismounted and knelt to see the child closer. “Aryll, huh? That's a pretty name. How old are you, Aryll?”

Aryll smiled. “Thank you. I’m seven and a half. What’s your name?”

 

_ Link crept through the woods, taking care not to make too much sound on the forest floor. He scanned the floor and the sunlit canopy of the trees, searching for any sign of Saria’s green hair. He cocked his head, listening for a giggle or a rustling of leaves. All he heard was the wind through the leaves, his own faint footsteps, and… was that harp music? _

_ No one he knew had a harp. He had only heard one once, when traveling merchants performed for the village. _

_ Slowly, he crept towards the sound. He treaded through ancient deer trails and climbed woody hills, going in circles until he finally found the source. _

_ His breath caught in his throat. _

_ In a hidden clearing, there was a young woman playing the harp. Her hair was the gold of the morning sunlight that filtered through the trees, and her eyes were the bright blue of the sky. Her white dress seemed to glow with radiance, and she wore a simple golden crown. As Link watched, she closed her eyes and began to sing. _

_ Oh youth,  _

_ guided by the servant of the goddess,  _

_ unite life and death,  _

_ and bring light to the land. _

_ Her words seemed to compel him forward. But she suddenly noticed, and stopped her music. _

_ “Come, Goddess Bow! Revert, Sheik!” she shouted.  _

_ Link looked around, and finally noticed the singer wasn’t the only person in the clearing. A little girl poked her head down from an overhanging branch. Another young woman was sitting on top of an old statue, and he watched as an older woman flew from a tree above and transformed into a golden bow. Before Link could react further, the singer had drawn the bow and aimed an arrow of light at his head. Another hand grabbed his arms from behind him, and he was pushed to the ground. Link looked to where the harp had gone, but he couldn’t find it. He finally looked behind him to see the one who had pushed him down. Was his attacker the harp? _

_ “Who are you?” the singer demanded. “How did you find me?” _

_ Before Link could speak, explain that he didn’t mean to pry, the girl perched on the statue spoke. _

_ “Your Grace, his aura indicates there is a 94% chance he is a human.” _

_ “A human?” The singer looked Link’s body over. Her once-gentle voice was harsh, like a ray of pure sunlight. “How did a-” _

_ She stopped and knelt down to Link’s prone body. Link braced for a strike, but her touch was gentle. She brushed his golden hair away from his pointy ears and stared at them. _

_ “You have… rather large ears.” _

_ Link relaxed. “Thanks, I guess,” he said. “What’s your name?” _

_ She gestured to the statue behind her. The statue was that of a singing woman, resting on a pedestal. Link tried to read the glyphs on the statue. _

_ “Zel-da?” _

_ “You misread the glyphs. My name is actually Hylia. But you may call me Zelda, if you wish.” _

_ “Zelda.” Link repeated. The name felt less formal, more like the gentle morning sunrise than a harsh, unfiltered sunbeam. _

_ Zelda knelt down and helped Link to his feet.  _

_ “Who are you? The boy with the golden braid, the one who had pushed Link down, had spoken. “What is your name?” _

 

“My name is Link. This is Fi and Midna, and the horse’s name is Epona.” Epona snorted as a greeting, and Fi and Midna waved.

“What are you doing out here?” Midna asked.

“Anju said I could go outside today. She said there's some treasure in the woods. Do you want to help me look for it?” Aryll said.

Fi looked towards the woods. “While we were riding through, I did not detect anything that may be considered treasure beyond an aesthetic sense. Would you still like to help, Master?”

“Sure,” Link said. “I'm great at finding treasure.” He looked toward Aryll and smiled slyly. “Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

…

“Faster, Epona, faster!” Aryll laughed as the horse thundered through the trees. Link and the others ran to catch up with the racing horse.

“Use increased caution with your rider,” Fi called. 

“Fi, you know Epona is the best horse in Hyrule. She could race across Hyrule Field with a basket of eggs and not break a single one,” Midna said.

“The body of a human is more unpredictable than a basket of eggs.”

Eventually, Epona noticed they were falling behind, and she slowed to a brisk jog. Aryll huffed in disappointment.

“Hey,” Link said. “We won’t find any treasure if we’re going that fast.” He jogged behind Epona for a second, before speeding up into a sprint and effortlessly vaulting over her back. “Slow down to a walk, Epona.”

The horse complied. Fi caught up with the mare and addressed Link.

“Master, on which path do you intend to travel? There appear to be two, not counting the one we recently took.”

Link nudged Aryll. “What do you think, Aryll?”

Aryll pointed to the path that lead deeper into the woods. “Anju said the treasure would be closer to the center of the woods.”

“What else did Anju say about the treasure?” Mida asked.

“She said that the treasure was scattered, and more valuable than red and blue rupees.”

“Those exact words?”

“Yeah.”

Fi’s face blanked, and her stare became unfocused as she dissected the riddle. After a minute or so of walking on the path, her gaze focused on Link.

“Master, I have solved the riddle. It has come to my attention what the treasure is. Would you like me to share?”

“Nah,” Link replied. “Keep it to yourself for now. But if you see it, let some of us know, alright?”

Fi bowed her head in affirmation.

“Hey, what did you two just say?” Aryll asked.

“They were talking in an ancient Hyrulean dialect,” Midna explained. “I doubt they even realized it. Sometimes, it just sort of slips out.”

“What’s a dialect?”

“It’s like a different form of the same base language.”

“But how did you learn such an old language?”

“Well-” Link began, but Fi cut him off in the ancient language. Link dismounted to face her. 

“Master, I highly advise against answering her question. She is a human, a citizen of the Near Shore. She is ignorant of the Far Shore and should remain so.”

Link responded likewise. “I understand your council, my dear Guidepost. But do remember that I, too, was once human.”

Before Fi could respond, Aryll shouted, “Look, berries!” She gestured wildly to the dense orchard of fruits growing throughout the clearing before them. Aryll leaned forward so that she was closer to Epona’s head. “Could you take us to those bushes over there?”

Fi’s eyes suddenly focused on the berry bushes. “Master, I detect the aura of a Phantom in the bushes.”

Link’s eyes widened. “Revert, Malon! Protect Aryll from the Phantom!”

Epona’s body glowed and changed until she wasn’t a horse anymore, but a tall, lanky young woman with long auburn hair and a simple work dress. Malon scooped up Aryll in one hand and made a slashing motion towards the ground with her first two fingers. A glowing white barrier erupted in front of the two. 

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a pair of jaws the height of a horse snapped at Malon and Aryll. The jaws were covered in glazed, unfocused eyes, and were attached to a stem, like a giant plant. Malon scrambled backwards, out of the way of the Baba Phantom. Aryll remained very still in her arms.

“Come, Twili!”

Midna’s body glowed and shot toward Link. When the light faded, he held a blue shield inscribed with different symbols in his right hand.

“Come, Master Sword!”

Fi’s body glowed and shot into his left hand. The Master Sword arched through the air toward the Baba Phantom. The sword sliced through the gaping jaw, but only partially. Link held up Twili to block another attack from the Phantom.  

“That should have destroyed it!”

_ “Phantoms seem to be growing in power. I have locked on to the stem for further ease. If performed correctly, this maneuver should have a 95% chance of success.” _

Without further comment, Link wound up the Master Sword and sliced at the stem in a circular motion. The spin attack worked, and the Phantom imploded into a series of names written in ancient Hyrulean.

“Revert, Fi. Revert, Midna.” Link’s sword and shield reverted to the forms of Fi and Midna respectively.

Aryll started squirming and breathing heavily, so Malon put her down.

“What just happened?” Aryll cried. She hugged her knees to her chest while Malon knelt down and stroked her head gently.

Link knelt down to her eye level. “It’s alright. The danger has passed.” He looked to Fi for confirmation, who nodded. 

Aryll looked up at him. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. “What was that? Who-who are you?”

“I am Link, the god of courage. I exist to serve humanity, and to protect people from Phantoms. Fi, Midna, and Malon serve as my weapons and guides.”

“T-the thing that jumped out at us… was that a Phantom?” 

“Yeah. Phantoms are usually invisible to humans. They won’t usually attack people like you, but they might influence you.”

“What’s influence?

“It’s…” Link paused. “Have you ever gotten in a bad mood for no reason? Or just feel bad after someone else was mean to you?”

Aryll nodded hesitantly.

“That was probably because of Phantoms. They are attracted to dark feelings and can hurt the light in people’s hearts. They aren’t that bad for humans, but they attack people like us.”

Malon removed her arm from Aryll’s shoulder and made a series of gestures with her hands and body. 

Link smiled. “You can’t understand her, but Malon said, ‘Don’t worry. You’re safe with us.’ He helped Aryll to her feet.”

Aryll wiped her eyes and asked, “If they’re everywhere, how come I haven’t seen one before today?”

Fi spoke up. “It’s an effect of our influence from the Far Shore. Should we depart, you would forget about us, Phantoms, and the Far Shore.”

“Basically,” Midna translated, “Because we’re near you, and because you know us, you can see things you otherwise couldn’t.”

Fi said, “As a human, the likelihood of her detecting our presence on a conscious level is at 1%. The only other example recorded in my memory of this occurrence is you, Master Link.”

 

_ “Fi.” _

_ “Yes, Your Grace?” _

_ “Link is a human, correct?” _

_ “His aura is has the average size and quality of a human.” _

_ Zelda turned back to Link. “How, then, can you notice us? My music, our presence is usually invisible to mortals such as yourself. And furthermore, you are clothed in the green of fields…” _

_ Link looked down at his tunic and touched his green hat self-consciously. _

_ Zelda straightened. Without warning, she removed a golden loop from each of her ears. She placed them in Link’s hand. He looked down at their touching hands. Zelda’s were pale and graceful, but what caught his eye was a glowing insignia on the back of her right hand. It was a golden triangle made of three smaller triangles. The top triangle was fainter than the others. _

_ Link tilted his head. “Why are you giving me your earrings?” _

_ “I’m not giving them to you. You’re borrowing them. Return them here at sunrise in seven days. They are very precious to me, so don’t forget.” She smiled, then began to call her Regalia. _

_ “Come, Goddess Sword, Goddess Bow, Goddess Harp.” Fi, Impa, and Sheik flew toward her, changing into their alternate forms and attaching themselves to respective places in Zelda’s belt. “Come, Ciela!” _

_ The little girl in the tree above flew down and changed into a giant blue bird. Zelda mounted the bird and flew off into the bright morning sky. _

_ Link sighed. “See you in seven days, Zelda.” _


	3. Nocturne of Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: descriptions of hate crime, drowning

Link and his friends were toddling along the road back towards Aryll’s house as best the could while still keeping a hold of the all berries they had picked. Link realized quickly how heavy berries became.

“Do you think these are enough berries, Link?”

“Yup. Aryll, we could feed an entire army with these. My hat is overflowing with them. I don’t think my arms could take the weight of any more!” He stumbled for dramatic effect.

Aryll smiled. “Alright. We’re almost home. I can’t wait to introduce you guys to Anju.”

“Is Anju your mother?” Midna asked.

“No. Mother and Father and Colin aren’t home a lot. They’re really important, so they work at the castle. Anju takes care of me. She’s really nice! She’s going to get married to a guy named Kafei who works in a clock tower but also makes really cool toys out of the stuff that’s inside of clocks and he’s made for Anju because Anju wants to make books for kids, and…”

Aryll regaled Link and his Regalia more about her life, her friendship with the local seagulls, and Anju until they all arrived at the front door of Aryll’s house.

Aryll knocked on the door.

“Anju! I’m home!” she said.

The door opened to reveal a young woman with brown hair and a kind face. She started to smile at Aryll with motherly affection, but quickly gasped and scooped up Aryll when she saw Link.

“Anju, you're going to spill the berries,” Aryll complained. But Anju kept her gaze on Link and the group of teenagers behind him.

“Who are you?”

“I-I'm just a traveler,” Link stammered. “These are my companions. We just ran into Aryll and she offered to play with us. We don't mean any harm.”

Aryll huffed. “Yeah. He helped me find the treasure, those berries you sent me after. He’s a god and he killed a monster and-”

“A god? Anju bore into Link’s kind eyes. “Which god are you supposed to be?”

“I am Link, the god of courage.”

Anju’s probing gaze scanned the rest of Link’s Regalia. She sighed and put Aryll down.

“Come in, I suppose. You can put the berries in the bowl on the counter. I'll be making them into pies. Since you helped, you can stick around to eat them.”

Aryll embraced Anju. “Thank you! I'll be playing the garden. I won't go too far.”

“We will join your endeavor,” Fi said. “The daylight is perfect for training.”

Fi, Midna, Malon, and Aryll went out a side door into the lush, opulent garden. Link moved to join them, but Anju grabbed his arm.

“Join me in the kitchen. I could use some help rolling to pie dough for all of these berries.”

“Okay.”

Link moved to the kitchen and began pouring the berries in various containers before picking up a rolling pin and flattening some dough.  Anju spoke first.

“So… You're a god. Do you know any of the elemental gods?”

“I haven't really spoken to the most golden goddesses. I met Nayru once. But I do know Vaati. Know might be the wrong word… Um, my friend is Zelda, the goddess of wisdom. She's really nice.”

He kept looking at Anju, seeing if her furrowed expression would change. She kept her gaze straight ahead, and pressed into the dough harder.

“I was raised under the worship of the Terminan gods- the gods of the dead and the giants of grief. Do you know them?”

“I'm friends with Skull Kid. He's nice, if a bit mischievous.”

“Who's Skull Kid?”

“He's the god of mischief, wears a mask…”

“Oh, you mean Majora.” Anju’s expression was still furrowed. She draped her pie crust over a pie pan. “So far, you seem harmless, but I don't believe you're a god. How come I've never seen one before?”

“Gods and their Regalia live on a separate plane of existence. Humans and the human world exist on the Near Shore. Gods and Regalia exist on the Far Shore, which overlaps with the Near Shore. Residents of the Far shore aren't invisible, they're just unnoticeable, like faces in a crowd. If you passed by a god, you wouldn't even know it. You noticed us at the door because we were near Aryll.”

Finally, Anju’s expression softened into curiosity.

“How did Aryll notice you if you passed by her?”

Link shrugged. “I don't know. She shouldn't have been able to see us.”

 

_“You shouldn't be able to see us,” Zelda said as Link burst through the clearing. Impa looked up from braiding Navi’s hair, and Fi locked on with that unblinking gaze of hers._

_Seven days had passed since their last meeting. The sun had barely lifted from the horizon when Link had arrived at the clearing with his chest heaving and energy spent. There had been no harp music, but he did not need it to guide him._

_Zelda continued. “If you were a normal human, you would have forgotten about us. Your brain would invent a memory of finding those earrings on the ground, or you would forget you have them in your ears.”_

_Link smiled sheepishly. “I can give them back. I just didn't want to lose them.”_

_Zelda smiled, and Link’s heart skipped a beat. Her smile was brighter than the sun on a clear morning._

_“Keep them. They look good on you.”_

_Link could feel the stare of of Zelda’s Regalia. Sheik’s glare was particularly unnerving._

_Zelda sat down in the grass, and motioned for Link to join her. “As promised, I will tell you of our world. Your destiny is intertwined with ours.”_

 

Aryll watched Fi and Midna intently from Malon’s back. They were in Aryll’s garden: an expansive field littered with fountains, hedges, and planters.

“What are they doing?” Aryll whispered.

Malon responded in a series of horse-like twitches and movements.

“Oh, right,” Aryll whispered dejectedly, “I forgot you couldn't talk.”

Malon made more movements, but Aryll had focused on Midna and Fi. The pair stood three horse lengths away, facing each other intently.

Suddenly, Midna began to move. She swiped the at Fi with her first two fingers much like Malon had to the Phantom, except the white energy that had acted as a barrier hurled toward Fi like a harpoon. Fi blocked the energy with a border of her own. Midna, however, wasn't done. She hummed a short melody, and her ponytail began to rise from her crown. The hair glowed, writhed, and expand until it was a giant orange hand larger than Epona. The fiery fist shot towards Fi’s border, shattering it to pieces.

Aryll gasped as Midna’s fist wrapped around Fi’s body. Fi made a long sound like a brook flowing through a rocky stream bed.

“Is she… laughing?” Aryll asked.

“Alright,” Fi laughed, “I surrender, as I am currently undergoing a ticklish sensation. Please release me.”

Midna complied, and soon the giant fist shrunk into a ponytail and nestled itself behind Midna’s headpiece once again.

Aryll jumped down from Malon’s back and ran across the garden toward Midna.

“What was that?” she shouted excitedly. “How did you shoot those beams of light from your fingertips and turn your hair into a giant fist?”

Midna kneeled down and ruffled her hair. “Wouldn't you like to know?” she teased.

Malon and Fi sat down next to them.

“The glowing white line is a borderline, a simple Regalia technique that separates the self from another. It is the sole and primary form of defense and attack that all named Regalia can perform in human form,” Fi explained. “Regalia more magically gifted, such as Midna, can perform more advanced magical techniques. Since unnamed Regalia cannot perform a borderline, they are vulnerable to attacks from the Twilight Realm.”

Aryll didn’t fully understand the answer, but she continued anyway. “What's the Twilight Realm?”

“The Twilight Realm is an alternate-”

Midna cut Fi off with a glare. “The Twilight Realm, is the place where Phantoms live. They are drawn to the emotional darkness of the human world through Voids.”

Aryll huffed. “Wow, that's a lot of information.”

  


_“That's a lot of information,” Link said._

_“You asked a lot of questions,” Sheik replied coldly. It was the first time he spoke since Link had arrived at the clearing._

_Zelda shifted so she was looking at Link directly. “Now it is time for me to ask you some questions. If you don't want to answer, then you are free to abstain.”_

_“A-alright.”_

_“Does your family have large, pointed ears?”_

_Link sighed. “That's a complicated question. I think my mother did, but she died when I was very little. It's hard to remember her now. When I was really little, I lived in a different village. I've been told by the others in my current village that something happened to that village. My mother carried me to the village I live in now, but she died soon after from wounds she had beforehand. I never knew my father. At my village now, no one has pointy ears. Saria, she's like my little sister, has big ears, but I wouldn't call them pointy. Why do you ask?”_

_Zelda took a deep breath and took his hand. “Link. Long ago, when the gods were young, they realized their invisibility from the majority of humans. However, the noticed a tribe of humans that were very devout to the gods. As a reward, the gods gifted the tribe with large, pointed ears, so they could hear the voices of the gods. The Hylian tribe, as I called them had the gift to remember the gods when others could not._

_“You, Hylia, named them Hylians?”_

_“I was a small child then, not yet gifted with clever names.”_

_“What happened to the Hylians?”_

_Zelda’s breath caught and she squeezed her eyes closed as if she had been struck. Fi spoke for her._

_“Humans view those perceived as other as lesser. It is a survival mechanic from long ago, to compensate for a lack of ability to process information. Hylians were often subjected to cruel behavior due to their unusual physiology. This cultural mistreatment reached a peak when a large Phantom influenced the surrounding people. The people decided to destroy the Hylians.”_

_“They were all killed, Link.” Zelda’s voice was a pained whisper. “The other humans wanted to cleanse them. You are the only surviving Hylian.”_

_There was a long pause. Slowly, Zelda’s ragged breaths smoothed out._

_Finally, Link spoke._

_“I've always wondered what happened to my birth family. I guess… I'm glad to finally know.”_

_There was another pause._

_“I know a little of what it's like to lose a family,” Zelda finally said. “I grew up in a palace as the princess of the gods; I had the privilege of ruling this beautiful land under the watch of the four elemental gods. But one of the gods became possessed by Phantoms from the Twilight world. He's seized the palace, forcing the rest of us gods to go on the run.”_

_Zelda started to choke on her words. “He killed many of my Regalia. My family.”_

_She took a shaky breath and began again. “The order among the gods has broken. Most have scattered, and maybe we’ll never be united again. But I have to defeat the wind god. He's opened up Voids to make Phantoms run rampant among the human world. I need your help.”_

_“My help?” Link was incredulous. “I can swing a sword, sure, but I can hardly defeat a god…”_

_Zelda smiled reassuringly. “You are destined to do so. I had a dream foretelling the darkness befalling this land of Hyrule. But suddenly, the darkness was cleared by a figure clothed in the green of fields and wielding a great Regalia. I believe that figure is you, Link. Will you help me?”_

_Link took a breath and tightened his fists. “I won't let what happened to my people happen to anyone else. I will do what I can, Zelda.”_

_Zelda smiled. “Thank you,” she said._

_She gestured for Fi to come to her. “Dearest Fi. When I first found your spirit, I sensed its strength, and I knew your destiny was to help return light to Hyrule. Before I release you, I have one final order.”_

_Fi bowed. “Your command is mine to obey, Your Grace.”_

_“Serve as a Regalia for Link, and allow him to fight the tormented wind god.”_

_“Your Grace!” Impa stood up. “Is it even possible for a human to wield a Regalia, especially one as powerful as Fi, the Goddess Sword?”_

_“His spirit is strong. I believe in him.” Zelda took a breath and held up two fingers. She drew a figure in the air, and the glowing Hyrulean name Fi appeared in glowing glyphs. The name on Fi’s forehead began to glow in a similar manner._

_“Fi, I release you from my service.”_

_The light faded. The name on Fi’s forehead was gone._

_Link squared his shoulders and held up his left hand. “What do I do?” He asked._

_“Pick the name of her human form. This is will be what will be marked on her body.”_

_“Marked?”_

_Zelda gestured, and the rest of her Regalia showed them their names. Impa’s was on her shoulder, Shiek’s was on his throat, and Navi’s was between her shoulder blades, visible through a hole in her dress. When they weren't glowing, they looked like simple tattoos of their human names in Hyrulean._

_Link nodded. “I choose the name of her weapon form too, right?”_

_“Yes. I think you're ready. Just say this.”_

_Zelda whispered a phrase in Link’s ear. He took a deep breath and held out his hand._

_“You, who have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to. I permit you to serve and remain by my side longer than kin. Your name- Fi. Your vessel- Master Sword. Come, Master Sword!”_

 

“Hey,” the sun is setting,” Aryll said.

The sun kissed the horizon, coloring the sky with pink, oranges, and purples.

Link and Anju came out of the door. Their hands were covered in flour. They sat down next to where Midna, Fi, Malon, and Aryll were sitting.

“Do you know why the sky sometimes turns different colors when the sun sets?” Midna asked.” It's because sunset is when the Near and Far Shore come closest to the Twilight Realms.”

“That's awesome!” Aryll said.

Anju sighed.

“Hey, Aryll, do you want to ride Epona before the pies finish cooking?” Link asked.

Aryll nodded vigorously. Link turned to Malon, who nodded as well.

“Come, Epona!” he shouted.

Anju gasped as Malon’s form shifted. One second she was standing there, red hair and bruise colored dress flowing in the wind, the next she was a broad mare casually flicking her white tail.

Link picked Aryll up and placed her on Epona’s back.

“Hold on to her mane, but don't grab too hard,” Link said. “She'll keep you safe, but if she's going too fast, just let her know. She can understand what you're saying.”

Aryll nodded. “Let's go!” she said.

Link turned back to Anju, who was kneeling on the ground.

“I-I'm sorry for doubting you, My Lord,” she stammered.

“No-no, no need to do that,” Link said. “It's alright that you didn't believe me. It's hard to believe stuff like that. And please, just call me Link.” He knelt down and helped her up.

 

_Link’s breath caught in his throat. Images, no, memories whizzed by through his mind._

 

_Fi was kneeling by the bank of a deep river, held there by three children her age and they were holding her and their grip hurt and they were shouting things that shouldn't have hurt but did: freak, witch, scum, and why did it hurt and suddenly there was a shove, and where did the air go there's just water. They have to let go eventually, they have to let go, stay calm but her fragile body was thrashing and where was the air and someone has to help and I hope she's okay and-_

_“Go ahead and die-_

_And the speaker uttered a name, a name that ripped Link out of the memory and back into the present._

 

_Link dropped the Master Sword and collapsed, breathing heavily and holding back tears._

_Zelda’s eyes widened. “Leave us! Take the Master Sword and flee!” she commanded._

_Fast as breath, Sheik grabbed the Master Sword and fled. When Link looked up, there was no sign of the Regalia._

_Zelda rushed to Link’s side and covered his mouth._

_“Shhhhh. I know you want to say it. I know you want to tell her. But you must never tell her. She must never know. The human name and memories of a Regalia are a god’s greatest secret. There is a terrible price to be paid if a Regalia learns.”_


	4. Ballad of Gales

_“Link!” Saria's shouted. “Where have you been? What happened? Where did you get that sword on your back? Was it from that girl that gave you those earrings? “_

_Link yelped as the Master Sword’s voice reverberated in his head._

“Master, is this the sister-friend Saria you mentioned?”

_“Yeah,” Link whispered. “And no need to call me Master. Just Link works fine.”_

“If it is alright with you, I would like to still call you Master.”

_“Who are you talking to?” Saria asked._

_Link looked down at Saria. “Sorry. A lot happened today that I can't tell you about. I promised that to a friend. But do you want to see my new sword?”_

_He took the Master Sword off of his back and showed it to Saria. Despite her anger at him, she marveled at the beauty of the long, shimmering blade._

_“That's neat, but why can't you tell me what happened? Don't you trust me?”_

_Link knelt down and met her eyes. “Of course I trust you, Saria. You're my best friend. But I'm caught up in some dangerous stuff. I don't want to put you in danger by telling you. It has something to do with my birth family.”_

_Saria looked shocked. “Dangerous? Birth family? What happened? Are you okay?”_

_Link wrapped Saria in a hug. “I'm okay. I'll be fine. I have to go for a while, but I'll be back. How about this: I'll tell you everything when I come back. Is that okay?”_

_Saria returned the hug, but she shook her head. “No, it's not okay! I'm going to be super worried about my big brother. But I can tell this is important to you. You better tell me everything when you come back.”_

_“Alright. I promise. Will you be okay? I know you haven't felt well lately.”_

_“Of course. A little sadness never killed anyone.” Saria stirred from the hug and took something out of her pocket. “I want you to have this. I won't need it anymore.”_

_She held out her blue ocarina._

_Link looked at it. “Are you sure? Saria, this is your prized possession. What will you do without it?”_

_“I’ll be fine. I want you to have it. You need something to remember the village. Whenever you play it, think of me.”_

 

“Master Link, it is now the optimal time to wake up.”

“Wake up Link, or Aryll’s going to jump all over you.”

Link grumbled and rolled over. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He was lying down on a wooden floor with a blanket draped over him. Aryll's house was cool, despite the morning sun filtering through the window.

His observations were cut off by small hands shaking his shoulder.

“Link! Wake up! We’re going to the beach today and Anju said you could come! Wake up!”

“Aryll,” Fi said, “I deeply apologize for the state of our Master. The odds of his rousing during a first attempt are a measly 12%.”

Link sat up and blinked heavily. “Wow, Fi, I'm surprised it's that high.”

Midna laughed.

Aryll smiled. “Yes! Now I can introduce you to all of my seagull friends. We live really close to the ocean. The shore is a five minute walk. You can come, right?”

Link looked at Fi. He gestured to a flat blue stone hanging around her neck. “Use the Gossip Stone to tell Zelda where we are. The Temple of Time isn't too far away, is it? Maybe she and her Regalia can join us.”

As Fi spoke into the stone, Aryll asked, “Who’s Zelda?”

“She's the goddess of wisdom, and a very good friend of mine,” Link replied. He stood up and stretched. “I'm going to grab a piece of pie, and then we can head down to the beach.”

…

“...And the littlest seagull is named Nico,” Aryll said.

Link looked up from his conversation from Aryll. He thought he saw a familiar flash of blue loftwing wings.

“Zelda!” He called up. “We’re down here!”

The blue bird circled down slowly. Aryll and Anju gaped as Zelda casually dismounted the giant bird.

“Revert, Shiek. Revert, Impa. Revert, Navi.”

Zelda smiled at Link in greeting, but the look was replaced by trepidation.

“I wasn't aware that humans would be here. We-”

Zelda was interrupted by Aryll.

“You're Zelda? You're so pretty. Are you a goddess too?”

Concern melted off Zelda’s face as she knelt down to face Aryll.

“I am indeed the goddess Zelda. What's your name, little one?”

“My name is Aryll.”

Anju cleared her throat. “Um, Zelda, is it? How do you do? Have you come to enjoy the beach with us?”

“We have indeed,” Shiek said. “Zelda thought it would be smart to enjoy the beach before summer was over. We haven't visited the beach for years.”

Anju stared at him.

Link gestured to the blue expanse of waves. “Don't just stand there talking. Last one to the water is a rotten egg!”

Everyone took off like an arrow. Malon quickly emerged to the front of the pack, but looped around to the back where Aryll was falling behind. She scooped the child on her back and loped ahead again.

“No fair!” Midna shouted. Her short legs struggled to keep pace with the rest of the runners.

With a giant splash, the pack crashed into the waves. Link laughed as a wave crashed into his face, soaking his hair and clothes.

“Hey!” Navi said, “who's the rotten egg?”

“Who cares?” Zelda said. “The water feels great.”

Aryll climbed down from Malon’s back and began to talk with Navi. Their excited voices rang out across the expanse of ocean in front of them. Fi and Sheik pulled themselves aside and began to chat quietly, occasionally drawing something in the sand. Midna plopped down on the sand and closed her eyes, while Anju tried to make conversation with Impa and watch Aryll at the same time.

Zelda tugged on Link’s arm and dragged him aside.

“Why are you congregating with humans? It's not wise! They're going to forget about you and then you'll be heartbroken. How many times does this have to happen before you'll learn?”

Link didn't flinch. “It's different this time. Zelda, Aryll saw me. I was walking through a field, she shouldn't have been able to see me, but she did.” He paused. “I think she's a Hylian.”

Zelda was quiet for a second. “Are you sure?”

“Her ears are smaller than mine, but they do taper to a point. And there's something… familiar about her I can't put my finger on.”

Zelda looked back at the others. Anju had joined Aryll and Navi’s conversation. Navi made a large gesture and Anju laughed, but there was a heaviness to it, and a sadness in her eyes.

“You may be right. Time will tell.”

They joined Aryll, Navi, and Anju. Aryll was talking about pirates.

“Have you ever seen them? I've heard Mother and Father talk about them when I saw them a few years ago, but I've never seen them”.

Zelda sat down in the sand. “Oh, I've met many pirates.”

Link sat next to her. “You're looking at the queen of pirates herself, the legendary Tetra.”

“You have a giant bird. Why would you live on the open ocean?” Anju asked. She rubbed her eyes, and Link noticed the heavy bags under them for the first time.

“Well,” Zelda said as she rubbed her hands together. There was a glint in her eye. “That's a long story from a long time ago. I think Link can tell it better than I can.”

Link took a breath and began.

_“Long ago, when the world was younger than it was now, the water goddess Nayru lived with her three Regalia: Ruto, Ralis, and Daphnes. Nayru had recently died and reincarnated as a child. Young Ralis was her youthful companion, Ruto was her mother figure, and Daphnes acted like her father._

_The young goddess had a happy childhood, growing and playing by her ocean home, fighting Phantoms, and doing her best to help those who prayed to her._

_But there was conflict and hatred in the region, creating a giant sea phantom named Bellum. Bellum increased the tension, and soon a war began among the tribes in the nearby villages. Prayers flooded in to Nayru, and she did her best to protect as many people as she could from the Phantoms that had been drawn to Bellum._

_One day, Nayru looked up and saw Bellum itself approaching her temple, bringing destruction in its wake. She gathered her Regalia and prepared to fight it, but she faltered. The one who lead Bellum to her temple, her sacred home, was her Regalia Daphnes. He had betrayed her by guiding the Phantom to her while she was vulnerable. Nayru was filled with anger, an anger so fierce the likes of it would never be felt by anyone again._

_Her anger and grief was so powerful that she flooded the entire world._

_Zelda and I were passing by the shore when we saw the gargantuan waves begin to crash against the shore. She instantly knew humanity was in danger, and immediately spoke to all of the gods in the world. She told them to lead humanity to the tops of the mountains in order to protect them from the coming water. The coming storm was relentless, rising the sea level and swallowing up the world. In the storm, my Regalia and I became separated from Zelda and her Regalia. We floated along the sea, struggling to stay dry on a small raft we fashioned. After days of floating, we found an old Regalia likewise struggling. The old man explained that he had experienced memory loss, and he only knew that he had to find the sea goddess Nayru, his master. It is taboo to name a Regalia that had been named by another master, but we were desperate.”_

Link looked around. The rest of their Regalia had gathered around to hear the story.

Zelda picked up the story. _“Link has a magical ability called the Luck of the Hero. I think it’s the only magic ability he has, but it’s very useful. Whenever he requires a new tool, the next Regalia he names will become that object, and he will always find one when he needs one. While he was naming his new Regalia, Ciela here was ensuring we were not lost to the fierce waves. She flew across Hyrule, against the ferocious wind and the strain of exhaustion, ensuring that every human in Hyrule would be safe from the oncoming flood.”_

Navi straightened with pride.

_“After the storm ended, the water level did not recede. I had heard from others why Nayru had performed such a deed, and I vowed to destroy Bellum. But Ciela’s energy was not infinite, and she needed to rest. I needed a brave crew willing to assist me in ending the reign of terror of this Phantom. I eventually found a pirate ship looking for a captain. I signed on and earned their respect, and we sailed across the seas, searching for Link and Bellum.”_

Link started telling the story again. “ _I named the lost Regalia King, and he could turn into a small ship named Red Lion. We scoured the seas, hopped from island to island, searching for any sign of Zelda, Nayru, or Bellum._

_One day, Fi spotted stormy clouds and vicious waves in the middle of a cloudless sky. There were even small Voids opening, letting small Phantoms through. The Red Lion swam toward it as fast as he could. There, a massive Phantom writhed. I looked under the surface of the water, and I could see that its body stretched from the ocean floor to the surface, squirming and polluting. But it wasn’t alone. Nayru was floating on the waves, a trident in her hand and eyes flashing with the thunder. She looked exhausted, but her determination kept her afloat. Our goal sought, we lept into the fray. Malon bombarded it with Borderlines, while the rest of us maneuvered through its infinite tentacles and maws, slashing at eyes and teeth like undergrowth through a thick forest._

_“Who are you?” Nayru shouted in ancient Hyrulean. “This beast is my burden to destroy. Begone, Foolish One, lest your life be destroyed.”_

_I responded likewise. “I am Link, God of courage and heroes! I seek to protect all in the Near Shore. This Phantom is mine to fight as well!’’_

_We returned to the battle, but progress seemed grim. Our energy was fading fast. Nayru was in her element, but Bellum’s dark magic was draining her energy faster than she could regain it. There were some close calls, too, Bellum wrapped a tentacle around my ankle and tried to swallow me, but Malon jumped across the water to destroy the offending tentacle. After the Master Sword was bitten by a gaping maw, Nayru had to throw Lulu (her trident) at the beast, and was disarmed. The fight didn’t look good._

_But then, there was a short harp melody, and Bellum was bombarded by a mass of golden arrows. I looked up and saw Zelda maneuvering Ciela through the massive storm, the Goddess Bow and Goddess Harp in hand. Her face was stern with concentration, but her eyes had the same beautiful grace that they always do.”_

Link paused for a moment. Then he looked down and started fiddling with his hair.

Anju smiled knowingly. Sheik started whispering fiercely to Fi. Zelda smiled and looked away

 _“A-anyway,”_ Link continued, _“Zelda arrived. She told us that all of the hacking and slashing in the world wouldn’t help if we didn’t concentrate it on one spot on Bellum’s body. She said there was an eye in the center of the Phantom’s body, surrounded by masses of tentacles. We fought our way toward it. I found Lulu in between two eye stalks, and passed her back to Nayru. Finally, I found the beast’s eye, a giant thing, large as a forest clearing. I ran up to it, ready to deal the final blow, but something knocked me back. Sheik pushed me a mere hair's breadth from an emerging mouth. Bellum was beginning to protect the sides of its eye with a wall of mouths._

_I could only watch as Bellum’s eye began to sink beneath layers of Phantom skin, where it would be untouchable. Zelda and Nayru pounded it with projectiles, but the eye needed a final blow. Thinking quickly, I climbed up a nearby tentacle and stabbed the Master Sword into the top. The tentacle shook about, trying to shake me off. I removed the Master Sword, and flew toward the center of the eye._

_I stabbed my sword in the center of its pupil._

_All seemed to be still, for a moment. Then, Bellum began to shake. Sheik and I were thrown from the beast. Zelda managed to catch Sheik in midair, and I landed directly on the deck of the Red Lion. Everything went fuzzy for a while, but when I came to, I realized that the Red Lion was swimming away from the fight with Bellum._

_“Why are you taking us away?” I asked._

_“Look,” Zelda said from above me._

_I looked, and I saw a giant wave swallow the dissipating Phantom. Nayru stood on a pillar of water. Her robes danced in the wild wind, revealing something in her hand. It was a harp, round, and twice as large as the Goddess Harp. She played a short song, and another round of waves tore into the Phantom’s body. Suddenly, Nayru began to chant in ancient Hyrulian._

“You, who would desecrate this ancient land of Hylia. With my advent, I, the goddess of water, lay waste with the Harp of Ages, and expel thy vast defilement!”

_With a last shout, she threw her trident into the beast’s eye. Bellum glowed with a blue light, then imploded, spewing out masses of glowing Hyrulian glyphs as a final mark of its presence before those, too, faded._

_The sea calmed. The storm clouds faded, and Nayru grew limp and fell from the pillar. Ciela raced over, and Zelda caught her and her Regalia. She flew over and landed on the Red Lion._

_“Wow,” Zelda said. “She managed to exorcise a Phantom of that size all by herself. If it weren’t for her power, we would have had to endure a battle at least ten times that in order to incur any real damage.”_

_I noticed for the first time how young Nayru was. She was a goddess, and immortal, but she looked little more than a child. Then she opened her eyes, and I noticed the endless pain and grief they held. She closed her eyes again, and no one spoke until we reached shore._

_I set Nayru down on the beach and reverted all of my Regalia. King ran to Nayru’s side._

_“My Lady!” he shouted. “Are you alright?”_

_Nayru rose, leaning heavily on Lulu._

_“You,” she spat._

_Her voice was filled with malice. “You dare show your face again after what you did? After you lead Bellum to my temple, to my people? I let you escape, I didn’t even revoke your name. But like the traitor you are, you return, with a name from another god on your forehead.”_

_King dropped to the ground into a kotow._

_“I-”_

_“Did you ever love me? Or did you just use me, reincarnating me so I could remain a child forever and laughing as I loved you?”_

_“Nayru. My lady. I loved you as a daughter; I always have, I always will. I didn’t intend to lead Bellum to our home. I wished to check on him while you were asleep, so you wouldn’t have to. You were exhausting yourself so much, I wanted to help you. But the beast followed me.” He wept openly. “I am so sorry, My Lady.”_

_Nayru crumpled to the ground. “Revert, Ralis. Revert, Ruto.”_

_A boy and a young woman helped Nayru up, and they slowly guided her to the kneeling old man._

_“Daphnes. Father. What a beautiful, tragically human thing to do. I am the one who should apologize”_

_And she embraced him._

_I released King from my service. Slowly, the water engulfing the land began to recede. I haven’t seen Nayru or her Regalia since, but I’m sure we’ll meet again.”_

Link cleared his throat. “That's the end of the story.”

His audience clapped politely.

Midna gave Link a clap on the shoulder.

“It's interesting to hear the story second-hand,” Midna said, “You did a good job telling it. Now, who wants to lose another game of tag?”

...

The sky was a sombre rainbow. A dark purple covered the sky, transforming into a gradient of blue, green, and finally the yellow and orange of the setting sun.

The group gazed at the rainbow, sharing sentiments without words. Even the ocean had quieted to a murmur of saltwater.

Anju gently touched Link’s shoulder.

“Walk with me,” she said. The bags under her eyes weighed down her body, and her words sagged with pain.

Link got up and followed Anju down the desolate beach. For a while, only the ocean spoke, murmuring wishes unknown to the silent sand. They appreciated the beauty of the shrubs and trees that lined the remainder of the beach.

Finally, Anju spoke.

“I apologize again for doubting your… position.”

“I told you before, don’t worry about it. It was rational, and it’s basically how gods work.”

“What do you mean?”

Link paused for a second. “We gods do not exist for ourselves. We are born out of the wishes of humans, and exist to serve humans. Oftentimes, we get small things in return for our wish-granting, such as food or shelter. However, all we can really hope for is that our name is remembered.”

“I still don’t understand.”

Link paused. “Humans have a tendency to forget us. We hail from the Far Shore, and humans exist on the Near Shore. Because we are from different worlds, we will eventually separate. A human who is not constantly in the presence of gods and Regalia will eventually forget about the existence of the Far Shore.”

“Even me?” Anju asked.

“Even you,” Link replied.

“How could Aryll see you then?”

Link subconsciously rubbed the pointed tips of his ears. “I'm not sure. I have an idea, but she shouldn't have, as a resident of the Near Shore. Humans can’t notice and remember citizens from the Far Shore.”

There was another pause. Anju fidgeted, opened and closed her mouth several times, and finally spoke.

“I can tell you've noticed that I wasn't quite myself today. The truth is that there's something wrong. Aryll’s parents are very important people, and they hired me to raise her, to teach her basic etiquette and rules of society far from the political reaches of their position. ‘She can act in her childish manner without embarrassing us,’ I remember her mother saying. However, they have decided that tomorrow, they will collect her and begin to properly shape her into a political leader.” Anju stared blankly at the ocean, trying to hold back tears. “But Aryll isn't made for it. She doesn't want to be a politician, to be trapped in a government building. Aryll isn't like anyone else I've ever raised for this. She's made for this.” Anju gestured to the beach, the waves, and the scrubby forest behind them.

“But I can't keep her from her parents. I can't save her from the prison I know the castle will be.” Anju grabbed Link’s hand and knelt in the sand. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. “Please, god of courage, answer my prayer. Take Aryll with you.”

Not letting go of Anju’s hand, Link knelt down with her. “Is this really what you want? I would do my best to protect her, but this life is dangerous. Phantoms can be deadly.”

Link paused again.

“Besides, do you really want Aryll to live with the dead?”

Anju withdrew her hands to cover her mouth. Her eyes were wide. “You-you're...”

“No, not me. But Fi, Midna, and Malon were all living humans once. Regalia are spirits of humans who've died violently. They exist to fight Phantoms for eternity. That's their future. It's all we do.’

“I'll take Aryll with me,” Link continued,  “I'll grant your wish. It's my duty. But Aryll has to agree to it. You'll tell her everything?”

Anju nodded, tears streaming down her face. Link put his arm over her shoulder, and she leaned into the embrace. Slowly, they rose and walked back to the group.

When Aryll saw Anju, she ran toward them. “Anju? What happened? Are you okay?”

Anju nodded and took a shaky breath. “I need to tell you something.”

They walked off a ways, watching but not listening to Anju’s long explanation, followed by Aryll collapsing in tears. Finally, they returned hand and hand.

“Aryll,” Link said, “would you be willing to travel with me across Hyrule? I can't promise that it'll be easy, or safe. But we all will do our best to protect you.”

Aryll put her chin up, determination clear on her tear-soaked face. “Anju told me everything. I want to travel with you.”

Midna knelt down and wiped some of her tears away. “You are very courageous, Aryll.”

“No I'm not. I'm scared.”

Fi knelt down and met her eyes. “Courage is not defined by the absence of fear.”

Malon ruffled her hair and gave her a hug.

“Come, Epona. Come, Master Sword.”

Without further ado, Link and the Master Sword mounted Epona. Anju wrapped Aryll in a final embrace. Midna lifted her on top of the horse, then jumped on herself. Zelda and her Regalia had left long ago, slipping into the shadow of the sunset.

Link nudged Epona foreword, but before he could leave, he felt something on his foot. He looked down and saw Anju holding his foot.

“I know I can never repay you for taking care of her, but is there anything I can do for you in return?”

“Remember us. Just try.”

“I will.”

As Epona took them into the trees, Aryll looked back to see Anju one final time, sobbing uncontrollably, no longer lit by the bright sunset.


	5. Sun Song

_ “So, Zelda, where do we start?” Link asked. _

_ He walked next to Zelda down a dirt road. He looked back. Down that path, through dew-stained hills and bright fields, was his home forest. Link shook his head and focused his attention on Zelda.  _

_ “We need a map. There's a town nearby that should provide what we need.” _

_ “O-okay.” _

_ Zelda turned her head toward Link. “You seem very nervous. Is something wrong? I might be a goddess, but don’t let that scare you!” _

_ Link shook his head. “It’s just that… I’ve never really left my home village before. Not really. I helped to herd the goats and played with Saria. I’m… nervous.” _

_ “You’re scared,” Sheik’s voice was cold as the Goddess Harp itself. _

_ Link looked down. _

_ “Master Link,” Fi said, “fear is not an inherent flaw. Courage is not defined by the absence of fear. It is actions are done by the afraid which constitute courage.” _

_ Link smiled. “Thanks.” _

_ They walked in silence until the town appeared on the horizon. The first visible trait was the large windmill that jutted up into the horizon. Small clusters of houses and roads spread out around it like roots. As they slowly approached, Link began to hear music and the chatter of people. _

_ The towns seemed to enlarge with every step until Link’s mouth was half-open in awe. Zelda gently steered him through a series of streets as Impa spoke. _

_ “Over here is a bakery blessed by a merchant god, and back that way was a well with a potential with purification. There is a good supply shop a few streets from our destination. Navi?” _

_ “Yes, Impa?” _

_ “You look like you could burn some energy. Can you do a quick border check around the town?” _

_ “Can I play with the kids in the town?” _

_ “Go ahead, but check the border first.” _

_ “Thanks, Impa!” Navi threw her arms around Impa and raced off. _

_ Zelda turned to Sheik. “Can you keep an eye on her and make sure she actually does the border check?” _

_ Sheik smiled. “Of course, Your Grace.” He too disappeared into the crowd of people. _

_ “The map shop is right around the corner,” Zelda said. “Malvar is famous among gods for his maps, and often unknowingly hires gods or Regalia to make some for him. If you’re ever in shortage of Rupees, then he may even provide you with a job.” _

_ She opened the door, causing a small bell to jangle above the doorway. A man behind a shop counter looked up from the map he was studying with a magnifying glass.   _

_ “Welcome. Please let me know if you would like a closer look at any maps on the wall.” _

_ Link turned in a circle as he admired the maps among the shop. It seemed every bit of the land, every mountain, every swamp, was mapped out.  _

_ “Malvar, do you have any maps that show the path from here to the Sea of Trees?” she asked. _

_ Malvar put down his tools and glanced over the store.  _

_ “I might have something like that over here…” Malvar reached into a shelf, glanced over it, and handed it to Zelda. “What do you think?” _

_ Link and Fi looked over Zelda’s shoulder, but the symbols were almost meaningless to Link. _

_ “This looks good,” Zelda replied. She put a handful of Rupees on the counter and smiled. “Have a good day.” _

_ They left the shop, and Link heard music again. This time, it was right outside of the door. Someone was playing a bright song with a flute. _

_ Zelda offered her hand. “Would you like to dance with me?” _

_ Link shifted nervously, but nodded. “I’ve never danced with anyone else before.” _

_ She took his hand and placed her own on his shoulder. “Put your hand on my waist and just follow my lead.” _

_ Together, they made small steps, gradually making a circle. Zelda let go of Link for a second and spun back into his hands, her smile brighter than sunlight. Link smiled back. _

_ The continued their dance until the music faded away. Link heard clapping, and he turned his head to see Impa and Fi smiling. _

_ “Not bad for your first time, Link,” Impa said. _

_ Zelda took his hand and put something in it. It was the map she had bought. He unfolded it and looked at it. _

_ “The Castle of the Gods is in the center of the Sea of Trees. Only gods and Regalia have the ability to enter. Go there, and we will escort you to the castle.. Try to arrive in seven days. We’ll meet at the base of the mountain at sunrise, and siege the palace.” _

_ Link nodded slowly. “I’ll do my best.” _

_ Zelda pulled him into a hug. “For now, this is farewell. If all goes well, I’ll see you in seven days.’ _

_ “Goodbye, Zelda.” _

_ Link watched Zelda and her Regalia disappear into the village and sighed. _

_ “Master, are you aware of the broad smile you have been wearing for the past 173 seconds?” Fi asked. _

_ “Mm-hm.” _

...

A blanket of silver mist wrapped around the beach. Epona walked forward slowly, letting Link guide her. The Master Sword and Twili rested quietly on his back, providing silent comfort to the sleeping child in his arms. 

Link looked up. He could see gold among the fog, like a lone sunbeam. He raised his hand slowly, and the figure grew bigger.

_ “Master, there is a 83% chance that Zelda and Ciela have spotted us. Would you like to make a signal for the 17% chance they have not detected us _ ?”

_ “Master Sword,”  _ Twili said, _ “I think 83% is good enough. Any sudden movements and Aryll will wake up. She just got to sleep. Besides, I think they’re landing.” _

Silent as a featherfall, Ciela descended from the fog, Zelda perched on her back. The Loftwing circled above Link before ascending back into the thick cloud layer. 

Something was wrong. Link drew the Master Sword and swiveled his head.

“Master Sword, search for the auras of Phantoms. Epona, let me know if you sense anything. Revert, Midna- make sure Aryll is safe and be ready to use magic if I call for it.”

Midna checked to make sure she had a firm hold on the sleeping Aryll before nodding. “You got it Link.”

Epona walked slowly through the fog. Her head turned slowly side to side, her nostrils occasionally flaring. Link held out the Master Sword like a dowsing rod, carefully searching for whatever Zelda found.

Epona stiffened, then flinched.

_ “Master, I have detected an unnerving presence. Through the trees to our left, there is an aura of a formidable Phantom in the shape of a Regalia.” _

“A Regalia Phantom? A Phantom Regalia? Is that even possible?” Midna asked.

Link signaled Epona, and she turned toward the aura.

After a few moments, Link’s hair bristled like wolf fur. “Something’s definitely off,” Link said. 

There was a shifting on Epona’s back.

“What’s wrong?” Aryll murmured, rubbing her eyes.

“Something odd is happening,” Link said. “Epona, can you take her back to the beach? I don’t want to endanger her if something goes wrong. Aryll, don’t forget to hold on”

He dismounted and called Twili back into his right hand. Epona carefully jogged back through the dense fog. Once she was out of sight, Link turned back to the scrubby woods. He silently crept through the rocky terrain until he found a clearing.

In that clearing, there was a creature in the shape of a young man.

Link could tell instantly he wasn’t human. His skin was gray as ash, and he wore bone-white clothes under a long scarlet cowl. His bleached hair covered one eye, the other eye glinted with malice. When he saw Link, his face split open into a grin.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the human playing divine dress-up. I must say, it’s a pleasure.”

Link stiffened. “Who are you?”

He tossed his head slightly, and Link caught a glimpse of a Regalia name underneath his hair, where his other eye would be. “My master calls me Ghirahim, but I very much prefer to be indulged by my full title, Lord Ghirahim. But I’m not fussy.”

One moment Ghirahim was a clearing-length in front of Link, the next he was behind him, his long tongue flicking next to his ear.

Link turned and slashed the Master Sword, but Ghirahim reappeared in front of him before he made contact.

Ghirahim made a movement with his hands, and diamonds of darkness formed and grew until they became a rapier in his right hand. 

“Come, human, and cross swords with me.”

Ghirahim winked, and Link blushed.

“ _ Master, _ ” the Master Sword said, _ “I have detected four anomalies with Lord Ghirahim’s presence. Combat would further allow me to observe his abilities and determine what manner of being he is. _ ”

Link nodded and exhaled. 

Ghirahim sprung into action. 

Without thinking, Link blocked and swiped at Ghirahim, but he wasn’t-

There, behind. Link spun the Master Sword behind him, striking Ghirahim’s rapier. Ghirahim turned and swiped at Link, but Twili blocked each punishing blow.

Now Link and Ghirahim were facing each other, their swords barely touching.

Ghirahim narrowed his eyes.

“Your Regalia have been trained well. If it weren’t for them-”

Strike. Block.

Ghirahim’s smirk grew into a grin.

Link drew the Master Sword up, and Ghirahim’s rapier followed it as if to block. But he turned the sword at the last second and struck Ghirahim’s left side.

A flash of steel registered in the corner of Link’s eye, but before he could turn his head, Ghirahim was knocked across the clearing.

An arrow of light protruded from his right shoulder.

“Hm. Now I understand.” Fires of hatred burned in Ghirahim’s eyes.

“Begone, Phantom,” Zelda said. Her eyes shone with ancient authority. 

“Farewell, Hylia.” With a flash of his sword, Ghirahim disappeared.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter took so long to update! The next one is a lot longer and will come a lot faster


	6. Song of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fall

“Yes, Your Grace. I will let him know immediately.” 

Fi spoke into a glassy blue stone strung around her neck. It glowed with a bright blue light.

“ _ Thank you Fi. _ ” The stone stopped glowing, and Fi dropped it and let it dangle around her neck.

She walked over to Link’s sleeping form. She shook his shoulder.

“Master Link, I have received a message from Zelda on the Gossip Stone.”

Link stood up and rubbed his eyes.

“What did she say?” he asked as he woke up Midna and Aryll.

“She says to meet her at the Temple of Time as soon as possible.”

“Alright. We’ll leave in ten minutes.”

…

“Master Link, at this rate of walking, we will not be able to meet Zelda at the agreed location on time.”

_ “Give me a break, Master Sword. I don’t have a magical flying bird like Zelda does. I’m only human.” _

“That is my exact point. As a human, you have limited mobility. I recommend finding a mount of some sort. A Regalia mount would be preferable. Luckily, my aura detecting abilities can lead a path to the nearest unclaimed Regalia.”

_ “Then revert, Fi. Lead the way.” _

_ She lead him off the main road they were walking on through a grassy field. They walked in silence. The only sound was the rustle of the wind through the long grass. _

_ After passing through fields and sliding down a hill, Fi pointed to a small collection of buildings behind an enclosed pasture surrounded by a tall fence.    _

_ “An unnamed Regalia is located there. It seems there is a god there as well.” _

_ Fi lead him up a nearby hill, where she jumped over the fence. She pointed across the field to a girl. _

_ She looked to be the same age as Link. She had long, red hair and wore a pink skirt. Her long, willowy arms were tied to a fencepost. She was staring ahead with glazed eyes. _

_ “The unclaimed Regalia is on the other side of the pasture. She has an aura approximately-” _

_ Link payed no heed. He raced across the field, calling “Come, Master Sword.” _

_ The girl jolted, and started jerking on the rope. _

_ Link swung the Master Sword, cleaving the rope apart. He knelt down and looked into her eyes.  _

_ “I’m sorry I scared you. Are you okay?” _

_ She nodded slowly. _

_ “I’m Link. This is the Master Sword. Revert, Fi, and introduce yourself.” _

_ Fi looked down. “As my master has stated, my name is Fi. With your consent, we would like you to join us.” _

_ Link smiled. “Would that be okay with you?” _

_ The girl said nothing and looked down.  _

_ “Can I undo the rest of the rope on your hands?” _

_ She looked up, and nodded again. _

_ He began to unwind the rope. He tried to be gentle, but he was forced to tug on some of the knots. Finally, he undid the last knot. _

_ “That must feel better.” _

_ The girl flung herself into his arms, chest heaving with silent sobs.  _

_ “Who’s there?” _

_ The girl stiffened. The man who spoke glared down under bushy eyebrows, beady eyes looking Link over. “Who are you? What are you doing with this Regalia?” _

_ Fi spoke. “This Regalia is unnamed. We have the right to name her, and shall exercise it. Who are you to claim ownership?” _

_ The man clenched his fists and stepped forward. “This Regalia is to be named and used by Lord Zant. I’m to deliver it tomorrow.”  _

_ “Come, Master Sword!” _

_ Link held out the Master Sword protectively in front of the girl.  _

_ “I won’t let you touch her.” Link sheathed Fi, and looked down at the girl. “Do you want to join me?” _

_ The girl nodded. _

_ “ _ _ You, who have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to. I permit you to serve and remain by my side longer than kin. Your name-Malon. Your vessel- Epona. Come, Epona!” _

_  Link braced himself for the flood of memories. _

_ Pain. Pain all over so much pain, it poured out of her mouth with a silent scream, the sound blocked by an old injury in her throat, a blade of grass in a field of bruises. _

_ She had given up trying to block the kicks so long ago. Her father pounded on her endlessly, again and again and againagainagianagain. _

_ “Now will you tell me where your sister is?” _

_ She bared her teeth at him. The small effort almost made her pass out in pain. _

_ “You were never smart-” _

_ And he spat a name, the name that brought Link back to his own reality, away from the agony. _

_ Before him was Epona, a chestnut mare with a white mane that shone in the sun. She reared and lunged after the cruel man staring at her. _

_ But the man was fast. He ran out of the pasture and shut the towering gate behind him.  _

_ “If it’s not going to Zant, it’s not going to anyone!” _

_ Link looked around. The gates would be hard to climb, and the cliff they used to get inside was only on the outside of the fence. _

_ Epona pawed the ground and jerked her head towards her back. _

_ “Do you want me to get on?” _

_ Epona nodded. Link ran towards her and leaped, mounting her in one fell swoop. _

_ “I’ve always loved horses,” he said. “Do you think you can jump over the fence?” _

_ Epona took off, effortlessly leaping over the fence. Link smiled and pet her flank. _

_ “Thanks Epona.” _

Link dismounted Epona and looked around. The Temple of Time was slightly worn, its marble pillars slightly tinged green with lichen. He helped Aryll off of Epona and led her inside. 

Their footsteps on the stone floor were drowned out by music. Zelda stood by the altar, playing a melody and humming along. 

“Ummm…” Aryll tugged on Link’s hand. 

He knelt down and whispered, “Yeah?”

“What's going on?” she asked. 

Link smiled. “Zelda is playing the Song of Time. It allows her to see into bits of the future under special circumstances. My friend Skull Kid has gone missing lately, and we want to find him before the Carnival of Time. On that day, there's a lot of Phantoms around, and more openings into the Twilight world, so he might be in danger.”

Zelda continued to play, her eyes closed in concentration. Light spilled from the windows and danced on her nimble form. The song she hummed and played seemed to echo throughout the temple. 

Suddenly, Zelda stopped. 

“Skull Kid will be at Clock Town.”

She opened her eyes and reverted Sheik. “Something's wrong. I felt a lot more turmoil from the Twilight realm. Phantoms are getting more powerful.”

Link sighed. “Yeah. I’ve noticed that a lot recently. At least we know where Skull Kid will be.”

“Let's split up,” Zelda said. “We can head to Clock Town and see if we can spot Skull Kid on the way. Impa and Sheik, you cover the ground. Use your Gossip Stones to let us know of any Phantom activity. Link, Fi, Midna, and Epona, you ride point and lead the way.”

“Excuse me, Lady Zelda,” Aryll said, “who will I go with?”

Navi grabbed her arm. “You'll be flying with us! If you want to.”

Aryll’s eyes lit up. “I can fly with you guys?” She clasped hands with Navi. “Yay!”

Navi led her by the hand out of the temple, chattering about what it was like to fly as Ciela. 

Link and Zelda smiled as they watched the children go. 

“It'll be good to see Skull Kid again,” Midna said. “Last time we saw him was when Tatl got separated from him. Remember that?”

Malon huffed. 

Midna laughed. “Of course you do. You still hold a grudge against Skull Kid for trying to steal you!”

Malon twitched. “ _ If you were taken from Link, you'd freak out too _ ,” she signed

“Nope, I’d be glad to be rid of him.” Midna stuck out her tongue and Link, who returned the gesture. 

Zelda bopped Midna on the nose. “Come on. At this rate, the Temple of Time will turn to dust before you all finish bickering.”

…

“Wooow!”

Aryll stretched her arms out, eyes sparkling. Clouds threaded through her fingers, and she laughed as she tried to grab them.

“Be careful!” Zelda said. “We don’t want you to fall off.”

“This is so cool!” Aryll cried. She took another excited look before settling down next to Zelda. Her smile wouldn’t relax.

“Zelda, now that we’re all alone… are Fi and Sheik in love?”

“Ha! Fi and Sheik in love? What would give you that kind of idea?”

Aryll looked down. “They’re always together when you’re with Link. They’re always whispering to each other.”

Zelda’s smiled. “They’re both Guideposts, the leaders of their god’s Regalia. All gods usually have one. We would trust all of our Regalia with our lives, but if we have doubts or need advice, we will talk to our Guideposts. Besides, they’re great friends. They’re always conspiring, talking about strategy.” Her smile faded. “Even if they were in love, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

“What do you mean?” Aryll asked.

Zelda sighed. “Gods and their Regalia share mind and spirit. One of the reasons we have Regalia is so they can help us differentiate right and wrong. However, this connection comes at a price. When a Regalia doubts, disrespects, or betrays their master, the gods are stung with blight and Malice grows on the Regalia. It’s easy to fix in small amounts, but if a Regalia misbehaves too much-”

“Um, what’s blight and Malice?” Aryll interrupted.

“Blight is like a magical bruise. Malice is what Phantoms are made of. When Malice is detached from something and takes a form of its own, it becomes a Phantom.”

“Oh.” Aryll frowned. “So by flirting or falling in love with another Regalia, they would be betraying their master? That’s so unfair!”

“You’re very smart, Aryll,” Zelda said. “But the dead must pay a price for their souls to live on.”

“So why aren’t you and Link together? Is something stopping you?”

Zelda blushed. “Not really. It’s just… as a god, time seems unending and unpassing. I’ve always thought of asking him, but it would be unfair to Link.”

“Unfair?” Aryll said. “What’s unfair? The only unfair thing is you two not being together!”

Zelda smile strained her gentle face. “It’s just that… Link used to be human before I-” She shook her head. “Never mind. It’s not a story to tell. It’s his choice.”

…

“ _ So, when are you going to confess your feelings? _ ” Twili asked.

Link jolted, and Epona flinched in response. 

Link patted Epona’s neck and muttered, “It’s alright, keep going.” He flicked Twili. “You spooked Epona.”

“ _ I asked a legitimate question, _ ” Twili said. “ _ It’s been thousands of years, and you two are still making dopey faces at each other and sighing. Whatever misconceived sense of honor that has kept you from confessing so far hasn’t gotten anyone anywhere. Frankly, we’re all sick of it. I bet even Aryll is, and she just joined us. _ ”

“No need to be harsh,” Link muttered.

“ _ No, there is need to be harsh! You’re the god of courage, but you’ve been too afraid to tell Zelda you love her. What are you afraid of, idiot? _ ”

Epona huffed in agreement.

“When you put it that way, it does seem rather ridiculous.” Link sighed. “Alright, I’ll tell her how I feel.”

“ _ It's about time! _ ” Twili said.

…

“ _ It's about time you showed up,” Sheik growled.  _

_ Zelda glanced at him through the corner of her eye. “Patience, Sheik.” She turned and smiled at Link. “I'm glad you've made it. I see that you've found a new Regalia. What is their name?” _

_ Link dismounted. “Revert, Malon. Revert, Fi.” He gestured towards Malon. “Malon helped me get here as fast as I could.  _

_ “Good. But I must warn you about Zant.” Zelda took a deep, shuddering breath. “He slaughtered four of my Regalia.” Her voice was monotone. “The bond between god and Regalia is powerful. It gives them shape, and gives gods purpose. But it has its… disadvantages. When a Regalia dies, their god feels immense pain. Zant used this pain to stun and defeat the other elemental gods. My Champions had to give their lives for me to escape. As you are not a god, I am not sure if Regalia death will stun you. However, you should still protect your Regalia at all costs. Do you understand what I mean?”  _

_ Link nodded gravely. _

_ Zelda stood erect and summoned her Regalia. “It’s time for our final preparations. Prepare to siege the castle of the gods.” _

_ … _

By the time they stopped, the moon was glowing bright in the center of the sky. Epona led them into a cluster of trees in the middle of a clearing. Link called the rest of the party over.

Impa and Sheik melted from the woods, and Zelda descended on Celia. Aryll was nodding off, and even Celia stumbled as she descended. Zelda stroked her feathers and reverted her.

“We’re a couple of hours from Clock Town,” she reported. “Come, Goddess Bow. We’ll find food for everyone.”

Without discussion, Link gathered fallen branches and started a fire. Fi and Midna helped clear the area while Epona grazed. Sheik crept back into the woods and returned with a handful of nuts. They waited for Zelda as they peeled the nuts, Aryll avidly discussing her trip with Sheik.

Link finally saw Zelda and headed over. 

...

_ Link mounted Epona and followed Zelda as she rode on Celia.  _

_ “Follow me!” she shouted.  _

_ The castle of the gods was decrepit. Link recognized Malice spread over the towers like a slimy blanket. Epona followed as Celia wound through winding paths and over fallen pillars. _

_ The first charging Phantom caught Link off guard. It was in the shape of a lizard, with bulging eyes and a long prehensile tongue. Before Link could react, an arrow of light impaled it. It disappeared in a flash of names.  _

_ Without commenting, Zelda turned and shot three more approaching Phantoms. Link drew the Master Sword and did his best to swipe at any pursuing Phantoms. As they approached the  castle, more Phantoms came in larger groups. Epona reared and stomped on a small humanoid Phantom, almost throwing Link off in the progress. He scrambled at her mane and grasped with his legs, causing Epona to blast forward, away from the wave of Phantoms. _

_ He risked a glance at Zelda. She was being hounded by flying Phantoms with bulging, inverted faces. She shot dozens from the sky with her Goddess Bow, but more took their place. Once, she was engulfed with the Phantoms, but she played a short tune on her Goddess Harp, and they exploded into Hyrulian characters. _

_ They had almost arrived at the entrance to Zant’s throne room when an eerie howl split through the air. The hair on the back of Link’s neck bristled. A giant Phantom with seven humanoid arms burst through the castle walls and bounded towards Link and Epona. Link narrowed his eyes and readjusted his grip on the Master Sword. But when the creature was close enough for Link to see, he and Epona jumped out of the way. _

_ Zelda came down in a flash of blue. _

_ “Link!” she cried. “What’s wrong?” _

_ “That Phantom isn’t a Phantom. She’s a Regalia. Don’t you see the name on her cheek?” _

_ Zelda narrowed her eyes. The creature had slid into a wall, but was recovering quickly. _

_ Her whisper was soft and steely. “I’m sorry Link, but it’s going to revert into a full Phantom soon. Besides, this is one of Zant’s Regalia. We have to defeat it.” _

_ Link bit his lip, but he nodded and aimed Epona at the creature. _

_ “You distract it, I’ll aim for the eyes.” Celia flew her back up without another word. _

_ The creature charged at Link, a snarl on her mouth. Epona charged back, but right before she made contact with the creature, she spun in another direction. The Phantom tried to use one of her arms to grab at Link and Epona, but he slashed at it with the Master Sword. She howled in pain and crashed into another wall. _

_ This time, Link didn’t hesitate. He leaped off of Epona and struck down on her torso. Zelda aimed a series of arrows at her head, but the creature used another arm to block the arrows. Link turned to slash more arms, but as he lunged towards one, another grabbed him tight. _

_ Link struggled, but the creature’s iron grip only solidified. Link could feel the breath leave his lungs and bruises form throughout his body. Zelda shot a dozen arrows at the arm, which finally threw him across the courtyard. _

_ Celia caught him. Zelda caressed his cheek. _

_ “Link! Are you okay?” _

_ Link readjusted the grip on the Master Sword and sat up. “I’m fine.” He coughed. “Is Epona okay?” _

_ Zelda pointed at Epona, who was a safe distance away, gazing at the sky.  _

_ The goddess glared at the creature, now wailing and thrashing around, and drew her bow.  _

_ “Time to finish this. Then we’ll take a break, okay?” _

_ “Come, Picari.” _

_ The voice was as strong as a rushing gale. The Phantom glowed with a sickly light and shot towards the speaker’s hands, turning into a giant spiked claymore. _

_ Zelda’s eyes shifted into pinpricks of light. _

_ “Zant,” she whispered.  _

...

They met up at the edge of a forest. Without words, they began to set up. Zelda called Goddess Bow and disappeared into the woods. Sheik loitered around the edge of the forest, gatheri ng greens. Fi gathered wood while Midna and Link started a fire. Aryll hesitantly joined Navi, who was picking apples and tossing them down to Epona, who tried to catch them in her mouth. 

Soon, Link was tossing nuts and greens into a pan over the fire, creating a tantalizing waft that drew Aryll and Navi over. Celia still had an armful of apples. Without stopping, Link plucked one from her hands, sliced it, and tossed into the pan. 

Aryll’s eyes grew. “Link, I'm hungry! Can I have some food?”

Link chuckled. “Navi has some apples. You can eat one.”

“But I'm hungry for what you're cooking!”

“This is all preparation for what Zelda’s bringing back. It'll be worth the wait, trust me.”

“But I want to eat now!” 

“Sorry kiddo. You have to wait.”

Aryll reluctantly took an apple and bit into it. 

The gossip stone around Fi’s neck glowed. Zelda’s voice spoke through it. 

“Link, I got what we need.”

Link smiled. “Perfect. Fi, tell Zelda I'm on my way.”

Link jogged to the edge of the forest just in time to see Zelda emerging. Her pink dress was being dragged down by the dead weight of two ducks. Link eagerly rushed forward to lighten her load, but froze. 

Zelda caught up to him. “What's wrong, Link?” 

“We can't take these to Aryll. What if she's upset that we killed something?”

Zelda was frozen for a second, then she burst out laughing. “Where does she think meat comes from?”

“I don't know! Maybe if we pluck it out here, she won't-”

“Hi Zelda!” Aryll shouted as she jogged towards them. “Can you hurry, pretty please? Link said the food won't be ready until you come back but it smells so good!” She finally got close enough to see her load. 

“Duck?” she exclaimed. “That's amazing! I love duck, but Anju never ate any meat, so I barely was able to get any! Can I help you with one?”

Zelda’s smile was full of teeth.“Sure! They're pretty heavy, so let someone know if you need help.”

Aryll grabbed one and almost ran towards the fire. 

“Don't trip!” Link called. 

Zelda was still grinning as she handed Link the other duck. “I'll teach Aryll how to pluck the other one.”

There the goddess stood, cocky smirk on her face, pink dress wrinkled from the hunt and hair escaping her half braid. 

Link laughed. “This is why I love you.”

Zelda’s face flushed, and Link’s stomach dropped. His hands flew to his head. 

“D-did I just say that out loud?”

Zelda covered her mouth and nodded. Link couldn’t see her mouth, but her eyes were smiling. He laughed nervously. 

“Link! Zelda!” Midna called. “Aryll’s waiting!”

“We should go back.”

“Yeah.”


End file.
